Governor Newsom announces tax credit awards for new job-creating films shooting in California and generating $1.4 billion for the state’s economy
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Oct 21, 2025

Governor Newsom announces tax credit awards for new job-creating films shooting in California and generating $1.4 billion for the state's economy

52 projects including new "Jumanji" film, "Heat 2" will soon set production records in the Golden State

What you need to know: Governor Newsom today announced the state has awarded the latest California Film & TV Tax Credit Program awards to major motion and independent productions that will bring more than  $1.4 billion into the state's economy, employing an estimated 8,900 cast & crew and 46,400 background performers — boosting local economies and supporting small businesses.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that 52 film projects were selected for the latest round of tax credits under California's Film and Television Tax Credit Program. These projects, representing both studio-backed and independent productions, are projected to inject more than  $1.4 billion into the state's economy and keep thousands of good-paying jobs in California. These projects represent $1 billion in qualified in-state spending and are inclusive of $629 million in qualified wages.

The film and television industry is the cornerstone of California's creative economy – revitalizing the job opportunities, business growth and economic prosperity for families. These investments reaffirm that California isn't just where stories are told, it's where the future of storytelling is built.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Collectively, the productions will employ an estimated 8,900 cast & crew and 46,400 background performers (measured in days worked) over the course of 1,664 filming days statewide. This round also saw applications nearly double compared to the last film round under Program 3.0 – the previous iteration of the program before it was expanded earlier this year.

Record-breaking production activity

This surge of projects reinforces California's continued leadership as the global hub of entertainment production. The expanded Film & Television Tax Credit Program is driving unparalleled economic activity within the Los Angeles filming zone and regions beyond.

The announced projects include 511 filming days outside of the Los Angeles area – known as "out-of-zone" filming days – representing the highest total in a single application round in program history and ensuring that economic benefits reach communities across the state. 38  projects are scheduled to film in counties throughout California — Alameda, Contra Costa, Imperial, Inyo, Marin, Montecito, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Clara — generating local employment opportunities, supporting small businesses, and strengthening communities across the Golden State.

Out-of-zone filming benefits the state's regional economies and businesses, including retail, grocers, hardware stores, and hotels. Productions also spend on local services such as construction, catering, florists and local governments' police and fire departments, as well as permitting fees.

"This round of awards demonstrates the outstanding scope of our program. We are welcoming projects from major franchises to independent films led by visionary artists," said Colleen Bell, Director California Film Commission. "There's real momentum building. With 52 new projects, we're seeing storytelling thrive once again, creating thousands of jobs and supporting local businesses in communities across the state. California's film industry is not just rebounding, it's redefining what's possible."

Major studio projects are doubling down on California

10 major studio/non-independent projects are among the recipients, including:
  • Untitled Jumanji (Sony Pictures) – latest installment in the hit franchise
  • Heat 2 (Forward Pass, Inc.) – Michael Mann's highly anticipated prequel & sequel to the iconic crime saga
  • Sunday (Blumhouse Films) – adaptation of the acclaimed novel
  • Untitled Daniels Project (NBC Universal) – from the Academy Award-winning producers of Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • The Fifth Wheel (Netflix) – directed by Eva Longoria

"I'm thrilled that the new Jumanji movie is going to be made in California. I have long looked forward to the day when the California Film Incentive would help us bring movies like this one back home — and now that it does, I am so grateful that ours will be among the first to take advantage of the new program," said Director Jake Kasdan. "Making these big popcorn movies requires hundreds of specially-skilled people, and the world's finest live in California."

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"We are delighted to be able to bring a large, old school, big screen movie to shoot in California, thanks to the newly expanded California tax credit," said Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment. "The resultant work will bring jobs and revenue into the state at a much needed time and will help the filmmakers make the very best film possible."

Independent films are on the rise

This round also supports 42 independent projects, with 32 project budgets under $10 million and 10 over $10 million. Highlights include:
  • Epiphany – starring Bill Murray and Kristen Wiig, directed by Max Barbakow, written by Mitch Glaser, produced by Lee Stollman, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, and Jillian Apfelbaum
  • The Incredible Heist of Hallelujah Jones – produced by Taika Waititi and starring Janelle Monae
  • Sun Baked – starring Ruby Cruz, Kiernan Shipka and Lukas George
  • A Tree is Blue – produced by Dakota Johnson
  • Nightwatching – produced by and starring Mila Kunis
  • Untitled MMX Drama – produced by Fred Berger

"It's a privilege to make movies in California, which allows us to collaborate with the most talented crews and performers and to tap into an industry ecosystem that is unmatched anywhere in the world," said Fred Berger, two-time Academy Award nominee. "We're so grateful to be able to shoot our Untitled MMX Drama in LA and highlight the incredible artistry that makes California the heart of filmmaking."

"As Chair of Mayor Karen Bass' Entertainment Industry Council, I know how important it is to create in a place that supports storytellers," said Producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein. "California has been home to my career from the start, and being able to make Epiphany here means I get to work with the best crews in the business while keeping jobs in my community."

"California has always inspired me. To make an independent film here, with these people and this light, feels like the most natural thing in the world," said Producer Dakota Johnson. "The crews here care about the work, the process, and the heart behind it. That kind of collaboration is rare, and it means everything to a film like ours."

About the California Film Commission and Film & Television Tax Credit Program

The California Film Commission (CFC) is a state agency tasked with enhancing California's status as the leading location for motion picture, television, and commercial production. CFC administers the Film & Television Tax Credit Program, which was expanded by Governor Newsom in 2025 to $750 million annually.

Since its inception in 2009, California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program has generated over $27 billion in economic activity and supported more than 211,000 cast and crew jobs across the state. In years past, for every dollar of tax credit awarded, California has seen massive returns — $24.40 in economic output, $16.14 in GDP and $8.60 in wages.

The expanded program — now one of the largest capped film incentives in the nation — maintains California's competitive edge in the creative economy while continuing to prioritize workforce diversity provisions, more funding for the Career Pathways Training Program, and the nation's first Safety on Production Pilot Program.

Earlier this year, the Governor more than doubled California's Film and Television Tax Credit program — from $330 million to $750 million — and implemented key updates to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investment rooted in California.

For more information about the program, visit www.film.ca.gov.

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